The Two Colors, Pink and Blue
by Nekiko
Summary: An adventurous romantic story. One is pink. The other is blue. Pink Ambition. Blue Compassion. Emily and Evan. Emily leaves for another country for her next ambitious challenge. What results from this? (Sorry about being vague but it could spoil things)
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: To anyone who's read the original story, sorry to disappoint but the idea has changed drastically compared to what it is now. Enjoy. I'm still alive, but busy. Please don't expect a consistent update. I will get the next chapter when it's ready.

* * *

After setting down her luggage, Emily let out a huge sigh. Today was her first day in this new country. She knew she should be excited about this huge step in her life, but all she felt at the moment was loneliness. The reason for her feeling was obvious, and she plucked out a book from her belongings. For now, this was all she could do to ease her pain. He hadn't answered the phone. She didn't expect him to, though. After all, it was the middle of the night for him. It was selfish of her to even try contacting him at this time. Emily flipped to the first page of the book. There were so many memories. These were events never meant to be forgotten...

* * *

Evan stared at his phone. He didn't answer the phone. It would just be depressing to be reminded he couldn't see her. After all, he was supposed to be asleep. _Screw it, I can't sleep_. He climbed out of bed and turned on his desk lamp. Picking up a certain Pokeball, he clasped it tightly to his chest, remembering the fun times he had with her...

* * *

Emily's eyes cracked open. She was swaddled in her bed, and she didn't want to get out at all. She just wanted to stay warm and comfortable as long as she wanted. Unfortunately, Emily had class that day, so she dragged herself off the bed. "Emily, are you going to get up on your own, or do I have to come up to get you up myself?" _I better get up now…_

"I'm up, I'm up…" she muttered, stumbling over to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Emily hated school; it was boring. She didn't care about all the grooming for the lame contests or whatever they were currently learning. _Where's all the battling? Where are the actual fights?_

As Emily carefully stepped down the stairs, her mother frowned. "Emily, can you put more care into how you look?" Emily's appearance was incredibly bland. Her long dark hair was smooth but unbrushed. The clothes she wore lacked any fashion entirely. They were simple, but basic. With her look, Emily could effortlessly blend into any crowd.

Her mother watched as Emily slowly dragged herself onto her mother's Salamence. "Can you put more effort into your studies?" Emily huffed without care. "You're not going to graduate if this attitude of yours keeps up. You can't get into a good university if you don't graduate." Emily just gave her mom a tired look. "Don't you at least have any friends by now?" Emily huffed in response. In reality, Emily had friends, but she hadn't ever brought them over. This resulted in her mom believing she was alone at school. "Sorry sweetie." Her mom turned around to face her daughter. "Have a good day, Emily."

As Emily jumped off Salamence, she turned around. "Alright, love you mom." She watched as the dragon slowly disappeared into the sky. School was the last thing on her mind. She eagerly stared at the clock for the entirety of the school day. Emily had planned this day for some time. She knew of the consequences, but this day she finally convinced her friend to join her. She waited at the school entrance, dreaming of adventures to come, just like the trainers who became legends...


	2. Chapter 2

Another Note: Dialogue is not the right word to use. You mean capitalization. I chose to capitalize Pokemon names and other things like "Pokeball". That's just my choice. Also, wow, I didn't expect reviews to come. Thank you for the words. **Please don't be nasty to each other**. I didn't even know I had reviews until I was uploading this chapter. I'm sorry, I didn't realize FF didn't freakin save my lines. So, I had to fix it manually. _Italics in my case were used to convey thought._ They break the laws of dialogue, I know, but honestly, with context, you can easily tell who is thinking what. I apologize if _thoughts_ are hard to figure out who's thinking it, but this is how I write. It's pretty damn hard to convey thoughts without overusing "Emily thought" and other similar phrases. Also, plural for Pokemon will not have "s" or "es" in it. Thank you, I take all reviews in consideration. _Finally, italics (thoughts) may be intertwined with someone else's dialogue. Example -_ Evan said "etc etc" _. What's he thinking?_ **Emily was thinking it in this.** Kinda like that. Enjoy chapter 2. I fixed chapter 1.

* * *

"Is this really a good idea? I got the things you wanted…" A guy walked up to Emily, causing her to snap her out of her daydreaming. Evan, her best friend. The one that took so much convincing to come. Emily needed Evan to be on board with her plan. Otherwise, the whole plan would fall apart. "Emily?" He held a bag in his arms; it was a different bag from his school backpack.

Emily grinned, waving her hand. "Ya-ho! Let me see 'em!" She grabbed the bag and peered inside. "Sweet, let's go!" Emily turned and ran, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.

Evan sighed as he followed the path Emily carved, away from the school entirely.

Evan easily caught up to Emily, who was setting food in a small clearing of a field of grass. "This is probably the most dangerous thing you've ever done…" Evan mumbled. He thought back to some of Emily's other schemes, like exploring caves and the woods without even a Pokemon of her own. It didn't help that no one their age was allowed to have one. _Geez, this is bad._ His thoughts were disturbed when Emily shook his shoulder.

"Wake up, it's working!" A group of Rattata were hungrily eating the food Emily had laid out. Emily sighed in disappointment as she kicked a pebble on the ground. "I want to find something rare. Not these stupid rats." Evan had seen that look before. It was just like when Emily and Evan spent an afternoon fishing out Magikarp by the dozens from a lake that was said to have rare Pokemon.

When Emily kicked the pebble, the Rattatas froze, and the grass rustled. Evan immediately covered Emily's mouth as he watched the grass. The field was silent as a Raticate stepped out, sniffing around as it ignored the food. _Don't look this way, don't look…_ The Raticate caught eyes with Evan, and neither moved a step for a moment. The horrid rat screeched and the entire group of wild Pokemon started to charge for them. Evan grabbed Emily and ran away from the field. One of the Rattatas leaped ahead of the rest, leaving a gash on Emily's face. Evan kicked away the Rattata, but this only angered the group further. Emily started to tap at Evan's arm, causing him to turn around. An adult stood with a Pokemon by her side. It looked like an Ice-type, but he wasn't sure which one. A beam of ice froze the rampant group of rats in their tracks. Emily left Evan's arms, striding forward with anger. "Why'd you stop us? You instigated those rats, didn't you?" Evan noticed something in the grass. It was well hidden, the color blending with the ground, and he picked it up. Looking back, he instantly recognized the woman.

The woman chuckled. "Evan! Is this your friend? You really need to choose better friends." Her Pokemon returned to her side.

Emily stepped back in fear. "Ho-how do you know his name?"

Evan hid the peculiar rock in his school backpack, then came out of the field. "Sarah! What are you doing here?"

Emily stood stupefied. _Sarah? Evan knows her?_

"I came to your school to pick you up. Parents were busy. I arrived just in time to see you following this foul-mouthed girl to a dangerous field. That was a stupid plan. I expected more from my younger brother."

"Who are calling foul-mo…" Emily started to retort, but the pain of her gash caused her to stop and wince.

Sarah gently pulled Emily's hand from her face, scrutinizing the injury. "This looks pretty bad. Evan! We're going to the hospital. Now. Can you walk?" Emily nodded as the three walked away from the field towards the city. As she was walking, she felt blood running down her face. After a while, she collapsed. Emily's legs dropped. Her hearing started to fade away.

"Emily! Emi…"


	3. Chapter 3

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This a little bit longer chapter. I'll be busy for a bit fixing up the story, so please be patient. Quality Quantity

* * *

 _How did I? Where am I?_ Emily eyes slowly creaked open, her gash tightened with stitches. She heard a familiar voice. "Thanks Doctor." She tried to stand to look around, but her face stung with pain, forcing her to fall back on the medical chair.

"Please, stay lying down and relax. I don't want you to tear your stitches." She looked up to see a somewhat old doctor. "Don't worry, it'll all be okay. You're fine."

As Emily was struggling to think, she heard Evan yelling in the background. "NaYeon! I really missed you!" Evan sat down as the Glaceon jumped into his lap. A slight chuckle slipped from Sarah's lips.

"He was so happy to see you, I could tell." Glaceon's unusual white eyes sparkled as he begged for attention. Evan pat the Pokemon, scratching his ears.

"Really? Evan looked confused.

Sarah smiled. "Well, he did break out of his Pokeball by himself when I got to the school." She reacted as someone strode quickly into the room.

Emily heard a voice. It was the last voice she wanted to hear. She closed her eyes again, expecting the worst. "Emily, are you okay?"

"Mom…" she croaked with a dry throat. "I'm sorry…"

Her mom sat down next to her and grasped her hand. "I'm not upset… I'm just glad you're okay… Please… Don't do things like this anymore. I'm begging you… For your sake."

Emily turned to see her mom fighting back tears, but ultimately failing. "Okay… I won't. Thank you, Mom." The mother and daughter shared tears together at the hospital bed. _When was the last time my mom cried?_

NaYeon leapt gracefully out of Evan's lap, smelling around. Sarah turned to leave and said over her shoulder, "We'll leave you two alone."

Emily's mom's hand immediately landed on Sarah's shoulder. "Please, stay." Sarah sighed and walked back into the room, sitting down next to Evan. "Are you this young man's… mom?" Sarah froze for a moment, and burst out laughing. Evan punched Sarah's arm to stop her rude behavior, causing her to compose herself.

"Ah… no ma'am. I'm Evan's older sister." Evan flinched as he noticed Sarah emphasizing his name.

Emily's mom raised a hand in surprise, but then she immediately said, "Oh my, I'm sorry about that."

"No no, it's okay." Sarah put her hand through her hair.

"Oh my, I must apologize again. I haven't introduced myself. I am Adrianna Wong." Adrianna took a bow, and when Sarah saw her face clearly, her eyes widened.

"Oh, you're **the** Adrianna?" Sarah coughed, clearing her throat. "My name is Sarah Yeon.. I didn't know you had a daughter."

A third voice caught everyone's attention. "Well, I'm glad everyone's getting along. The doctor had returned. "While Ms. Wong will most likely have this scar for the rest of her life, it will heal perfectly laceration on her face was very long but not too deep. Excuse me." Everyone moved aside as the doctor approached the table. "Ms. Wong, will you slowly sit up?" Emily got up and the doctor began a final check-up on her face.

While everyone was talking, NaYeon had been investigating Evan's backpack. He started to cry in frustration in his failure to open it. Sarah walked over and looked at the filled backpack. "Evan, what exactly is going on?" The doctor, having finished his check-up, got up and left, stating that Emily was free to go. She needed a follow-up to remove the stitches, and that she shouldn't partake in anything too strenuous. Evan froze while he was helping Emily sit up.

"What are you talking about?" Evan already knew what she was referring to, but he tried to feign ignorance anyway.

"This." Sarah pulled out the egg Evan had found. "Where did this come from?" NaYeon jumped up towards it in curiosity.

Evan realized Sarah hadn't found out about the food and Pokeballs he "borrowed". Mentally breathing a sigh of relief, he responded, "I found it in the field."

Sarah sighed, handing the egg over to Evan. Evan finished helping Emily get up, then handled the egg carefully. "Make sure to keep the egg with you. It helps with bonding and should hatch the egg faster. Nor I or research can explain why being with your egg more helps with hatching faster, but… yeah. Do that." Evan stared at the egg, and wondered what was in it.

"Evan… let's not do anything dangerous until we're a bit older…" Emily's hand hovered over her wound. She could still feel the pain. _I've been too reckless this whole time…_ Evan just nodded in reply, supporting her off the bad as everyone left the hospital.

Sarah pulled out a Pokeball, recalling her Glaceon to his ball. Everyone watched Sarah as she threw another ball from her belt to release another Pokemon as she snapped NaYeon's ball back on her belt. "Time to go, Evan." A Lugia screeched, waving its wings with splendor.

"Woooow…" Emily gazed at the wondrous creature in awe. "How'd you…" Her mom was surprised as well, but then released her Salamence to leave.

Sarah patted Emily's head. "Emily, one day, you'll be a strong trainer, going on numerous adventures. For example, I got Haku here from an adventure! But for now, don't throw your life away by being unprepared in your endeavours." Evan rolled his eyes while getting on Haku. The Lugia and the Salamence gazed at each other, a mutual feeling of respect in their eyes.

Adrianna sat atop her Salamence, but then asked, "Wait, would you two be so inclined as to join us for dinner?" Emily hopped on Salamence as well.

Sarah leapt onto Haku and turned back. "It'd be an honor."

"The honor is ours. Please follow behind us."

Sarah nodded, then turned around towards Evan, an evil grin on her face. Evan's face went pale as Sarah whispered menacingly, "Now, should I tell our parents about the food and Pokeballs you stole?"

The two dragons took flight, leaving only dust in their wake.


	4. Chapter 4

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Expect a lack of additional chapters until mid-June. I may possibly squeeze another, but if my schedule allows. Even though I am busy, I do read reviews. They are appreciated! I'm still considering and thinking of how to smoothly develop Evan and Emily's relationship realistically. Enjoy~

* * *

The time had flown by; Sarah and Evan already spent hours at the Wong house. Haku and Salamence were eating their food. Flying around was a tiring task for them when they had weight on their backs. Emily was sleeping on the couch with NaYeon at her side. Evan had also fallen asleep, his hands gripped tightly on the egg.

Sarah asked, "What is the great Adrianna doing in this country? I had heard rumors that you had died years ago."

Adrianna sighed, rolling Salamence's ball back and forth on the dinner table. "I was an unbeatable trainer at the top… But when I made it to the top, I realized there is nothing great about it. I got tired of the attention. Getting some peace and quiet was impossible. The stress of being alone at the top, and staying there. Eventually, I could not reach everyone's unrealistic expectations. I'm honestly surprised you recognized me. I chose this country because it is so far away."

Sarah grinned. "The competitive part of the life is pretty annoying, isn't it? At least, that's what my brother and I believe."

Adrianna gazed lovingly at her daughter. "All I want is to not have my daughter follow in my footsteps. But she's only focused at battling, she's always going on adventures, and she still hasn't gotten her first Pokemon yet."

"Evan's a good kid, he'll keep her in check." Sarah put her hand through her hair. "He's into… um… those contests and shows instead. He thinks competitive battles are meaningless. Evan feels like more like a younger sister than a brother sometimes." The two women chuckled.

Adrianna turned to her companion. "Elise here has been with me since the beginning. We have been through a lot together." Elise and Haku had finished their food, and were sitting beside their trainers. Adrianna looked at Haku. "Such a beauty, how'd you get it?"

Sarah put her hand on Haku's head. "It's a long story for another day. You know of the Talisters, right?" Sarah put down her glass.

Adrianna's shock was easily visible on her face. "The Talisters? The women in ancient times who were able to control even the wildest Pokemon? Why do you mention them?"

"I'm upset about how the Talisters were given such a bad name over the centuries. We also have our reasons for hiding in this country." Sarah's expression darkened as she crossed her arms.

Adrianna gasped. "You're… a Talister? I thought the Talisters all died long ago."

Sarah nodded. "Nope. We're still alive. I trust you keep this information to yourself." Adrianna nodded. "However, we don't control Pokemon. That's a myth."

"Then, what's the truth?" Adrianna's look changed from surprise to curiosity.

"We can create bonds with any Pokemon, even wild ones, but it's pretty hard to explain. There's a certain level of communication between a Talister and a Pokemon. In the end though, the Pokemon is the one that makes a choice to listen to us." Sarah ran a hand through her hair.

"Is that how you got Haku?"

Sarah nodded in response. "Yeah, but Haku was the one who wanted to be my companion. I can't speak for the other clans, but this is what I know about the Yeon family. Our power develops quickly, but only some are able to use it in its entirety. When Talisters have bad intentions when interacting, especially with wild Pokemon, the Pokemon can sense it. In that sense, the Pokemon will most likely ignore what the Talister has to say. Only pure-hearted people can utilize our power. What I don't know is where the other clans are, where our powers come from, and the origin of the Yeon family."

Adrianna was saddened. "It's great to know the truth about the feared Talisters… What about your brother? Does he know about your power?"

Sarah turned back to look at her brother. "Evan has no knowledge outside of it. About the Talisters, he only knows what he's been taught in class. I was worried he would be ostracized if people knew he was part of a Talister family. History has always portrayed us as cruel Trainers that bend Pokemon to our will. The reality is that evil rulers enslaved Talisters so they could be used as tools to force control over Pokemon. The Pokemon would see the suffering of the Talister, forcing them to obey the wicked. In obeying the wicked, the Talisters were saved. If the Pokemon did not submit… The Talister faced execution. When rulers were eventually overthrown, the blame was placed on the Talisters alongside the ruler. This is why we were hunted and eventually went into hiding."

Adrianna nodded. "That makes sense. Only women have the power to be Talisters, right?"

"No. There have been male Talisters. While only our mom is a Talister, Evan is a Talister himself. In fact, Evan's power is an anomaly. Its strength is ridiculously high already. Evan shows signs of being what we in the clans call a rare Talister. Typically, the female Talisters have much stronger power compared to males and form powerful bonds faster. This is why only the female Talisters are remembered in history."

Adrianna looked baffled. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"

"The rare Talisters were initially worshipped in ancient times because of their immense power. No ruler could ever bend a rare Talister to their will. What no one knows is how someone becomes a rare Talister. The Yeon family hasn't had a rare Talister in centuries. To my knowledge, all the rare Talisters have always been women. Ah… I'm sorry. I'm bombarding you with so much info. Sorry about my rambling."

Adrianna shook her head. "No no, go on. It's interesting to hear about this."

Sarah nodded. "Oh right, I haven't explained about Haku. Strangely, it happened when I was around Emily's age. I was young and stupid. It happened when I ventured out, over eager to get my first Pokemon. Furthermore, I took my brother with me and snuck away from our parents, like an idiot. Haku became enraged when I found it. I was actually fishing in a lake in another country during a family vacation. When I hooked and injured its tail, Haku burst out of the water in a fit of rage. Because my power was underdeveloped at the time, it wouldn't listen to a word I said. Evan was younger than me, but he opened its heart, asking forgiveness. This is also when I realized he had the same power. Haku saw the compassion and care despite his fear when he stepped in front of me to protect me. It calmed and forgave me. He's always been compassionate to all Pokemon. This is why many of my own Pokemon love Evan very much. When we returned to our parents, Haku wouldn't leave us, so our mom kept it until I was old enough."

Adrianna frowned. "That makes sense, but I still have a question. If Haku listened to Evan, why isn't he its trainer?"

Sarah chuckled a bit. "Haku calmed down, and loved my courageous nature. Evan made very clear he didn't want a Pokemon yet."

Adrianna sighed. "There's so many lies about your kind. It's very saddening."

Sarah pulled out her ball to recall Haku. Lifting her Pokeball, she inquired, "Did you know? If anyone's bond with a wild Pokemon becomes strong enough, you don't need Pokeballs. To you, Pokeballs are a tool to capture a Pokemon so you can develop a bond by being with them. They may not listen to you initially. You earn their respect and love; that's the bond. For us, our bonds are formed much faster, as our intentions and feelings are understood immediately. For us, Pokeballs are typically just a tool for us to carry our companions more conveniently."

Adrianna smiled. "I don't see an issue with Talisters. Creating a bond between a Pokemon and a trainer is something that develops over time. While Talisters can develop a bond quickly, they must have pure intentions like normal trainers, right?"

Sarah took a sip of water, then nodded. "The truly evil Talisters end up being bland, terrible trainers. From what I've been told, their powers are wasted because it doesn't work with their atrocious intentions."

Adrianna asked, "Wait, so how does this power work?"

Sarah thought for a moment, snapping the Pokeball to her belt. "We can't have literal conversations with Pokemon.. But.. we can reach out with our feelings and words. The rest is dependent on the Pokemon."

Adrianna was in awe, and she said, "That's amazing."

Sarah shook her head. "Not seem like I'm intentionally changing the subject, but what I find amazing is your daughter's influence on my brother. From what I've seen, Emily is the closest friend of his. He went so far as to take some food and Pokeballs for her, even though he has never gone against our parents. He's been a massive introvert his entire life."

Adrianna closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I hope you are correct when you say Evan will keep her from doing anything too dangerous."

Sarah laughed. "It's no issue, and I have faith in my brother, don't worry about Emily." Her phone started to ring. "Aw crap. I'm sorry, we've got to go. We can pick up the conversation later. Thank you for having us."

Evan's eyes were shut tight. He was in a deep sleep. _Ev…Evan…?_ Evan heard a voice, but he didn't know from where. Waking up, he stood up, putting the egg to his ear. No sound.

Sarah walked into the room. "Evan, time to go. Are you awake?" We've been here till late, we should go home. NaYeon!" The noise woke both Emily and the Glaceon. Sarah returned NaYeon to his ball, turning towards the entrance of the house.

Emily yawned as she stretched out. "Ah… that was a good nap. Oh, are you leaving?" Evan nodded as his sister was already starting to walk towards the door.

The four bowed in respect, then Sarah let out Haku. "Let's go!" Evan got behind Sarah on Haku. Adrianna and Emily watched as the magnificent Lugia disappeared into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Lol, 2,500 words. Probably my longest chapter ever. I've been working little by little, and here's the result so far. My chapters are typically only 1000 words, but I'm releasing a massive chapter here because I kind of wanted to release all of it rather than cut the adventure in half. Summer is almost here, so I'll most likely be able to post more frequently then. But, for now, enjoy!

* * *

"Class dismissed."

Emily stood up instantly. When she returned to school, people asked about her scar. Emily only shrugged in response. She never felt like answering them. They were only interested in her now just because of her injury. Additionally, she knew that if she confirmed the allegations that her little adventures were about trying to catch a Pokemon underage, she would be expelled immediately.

 _Only one more school year until I was allowed a Pokemon of my own._ For today though, it was time for a special escapade with Sarah. She hadn't described the venture like she usually did. Emily felt comfortable with Sarah, feeling as though she had a true passionate role model. _Evan's sister is so cool!_ Dashing out the classroom, she ran out of the school entrance, bumping into Sarah.

"Woah, hold on there, Em!" Sarah flashed a grin. "Let's not get too hasty. Are you ready?" Emily nodded in excitement; she had been anticipating this for at least a week now. Breaking into a run, Sarah dropped Haku, sliding smoothly on its back. Emily could swear that the two actions were so quickly executed, they looked simultaneous. Running herself, Emily leapt onto the great dragon. "Time to go!" Sarah waved her hand to the watching students as the Lugia flew into the sky. Whispers and chatters arose among the students.

Standing at the school's entrance, Evan looked at the speck in the sky, sighing. Sarah had been taking Emily on numerous adventures, so she could supervise Emily's more "wild side". Evan could barely catch up with Emily's energy during school. Even after her injury, Emily stayed at a similar reckless level. Evan closed his eyes, but smiled. She would always drag him along the school with her for harmless fun, but he didn't mind. If it weren't for her antics, his life would just be a daily grind. _Why am I thinking about that now?_ He was lost in thought as he walked outside to call a Pidgeot transport service. Whenever Sarah and Emily went on one of their "girls' trips", he would have to call a private transport service to go home.

* * *

"A cave? That seems stereotypical, even if we've only been to them once before." Emily scoffed as she pulled her hair from her face.

Recalling Haku, Sarah smiled. "This time, it's different!"

"Really? Is there some legendary in there or…"

Sarah rolled her eyes, putting her arms on her hips. "No, no. I'm sure you of all people know that graduation is coming soon, and you'll then be allowed a Pokemon, right?"

Emily was confused. "Yeah, but does this mean you're getting me a…"

Sarah started to walk into the cave with her flashlight in hand. "No… even though we've been on many trips throughout this year… Have you learned anything at all? Just because it's a cave, there's something new waiting to be found! Geez…" Sulking slightly, Emily followed with her own light behind Sarah.

Sarah was different as she walked around the cave, Emily had realized. Her silly and lax personality shifted to one of silence and seriousness. This typically happened on their adventures, and Evan had stated before it wasn't unusual. However, Sarah seemed to be especially careful on this particular day.

Emily tripped over a Pokemon, causing the Pokemon to awaken. Sarah turned immediately at the sound, shining a light indirectly at the drowsy Pokemon. Emily recoiled as the creature burst into tears, wailing loudly. Sarah started to walk up behind Emily, bursting into a run.

Lowering, Emily dropped to a knee, reaching out with her hand to console the sad Pokemon. "Get back!" Sarah pulled Emily away just before the Pokemon flipped and tried to bite her hand. The Pokemon stood and looked backwards, assuming a fighting stance. Emily stared at her hand, horrified that it was almost bitten off. In the meantime, Sarah reached out, her eyes fixated on the Pokemon. It stared back and opened its mouth. Emily peered at Sarah, who seemed to be focused only on the Pokemon. Slowly, Sarah reached for her belt. After a moment, the Pokemon sat down and went back to sleeping. Her hand lowered away from her belt. Emily looked up with her flashlight. She could swear that Sarah's deep brown eyes appeared to be darker than usual, emitting some sort of black mist. It was only for a moment the abnormality was visible until Sarah blinked. Sarah coughed, but recovered quickly. Her eyes shifted to Emily. And unfortunately for Emily, Sarah's attitude changed to her annoyed state, which meant a rant full of safety lessons. "Don't ever approach wild Pokemon like that! You still haven't learned a thing at all, have you…" Sarah ran her hand through her hair. "Do you even know what Pokemon that was?" Emily took the lecture as she wondered how she would've lived without her hand. Sarah sighed, putting her hand to her temple. "It was stupid to bring you here. If Adrianna knew…"

"I swear, I'll be more careful…" Emily got up slowly.

"Lucky for us that that Mawile didn't call out for others. He was just angry that his nap was disturbed. It's fine." Sarah sighed.

"Mawile?"

Irritated, Sarah aimed her light at Emily. "If you paid attention in class, you'd know that Mawile excels at deception. They cry false tears to lure people or other Pokemon closer. Then they strike." Sarah immediately turned back to venture further into the cave. Emily followed, but aimed her light slightly downwards to avoid stepping on anything but rock.

Emily asked, "Wait, how do you know I dont…"

"Jackpot." Sarah's voice was a whisper as she dropped her backpack, pulling out her pickaxe. Emily was about to respond to ask why she whispered, but Sarah covered her mouth. Indirectly aiming her flashlight, she lit up another passage in the cave. There were numerous Pokemon, most of them sleeping. "Stay quiet." Sarah passed Emily another pickaxe. Sarah then walked back and set down her flashlight on the ground so it aimed at the wall. Sarah started picking at the wall, while Emily stood baffled, holding her pickaxe. "Got it." Sarah turned the rock so the fossil was visible in the light. It was lodged inside a matrix in one piece, and it was preserved rather well. Emily stared at it. The shape made it look like some ancient flower. "It's a Lileep. A beautiful, complete fossil. These are pretty rare to find in such good condition." Sarah carefully placed the tools and the fossil in her bag.

Emily asked again, "How do you know I don't…"

Something lightly colored dashed away from hiding, and Sarah's eyes darted in an instant. She scooped the flashlight from the ground, breaking into a silent stride. Emily tried to follow, but was much slower, following at a massively slower pace. Sarah peeked around the cave, scratching her head.

Since they were far from the hoard of sleeping Pokemon, Emily asked, "What is it?" Sarah shrugged in response, then proceeded to leave. As Emily turned around, she saw something pink dash to another hiding spot. "Sarah!"

Sarah turned around, knelt down, and pulled out some food from her bag. Setting the food on the cavern floor, Sarah stepped back, still on her knees. The pink Pokemon approached the food cautiously, keeping her eyes on Sarah. Emily watched in fascination as the Pokemon started to eat the food. Looking closer, Emily realized the Pokemon was a Mawile, similar to the one she had awoken earlier. Sarah reached out her hand to the sitting Pokemon. Remembering the incident before, Emily took a step, yelling, "Sarah, get back!"

Hearing the shout, the Mawile ran and hid slightly behind a rock. Sarah turned her head, calmly stating, "I'm fine." Turning back towards the Pokemon, she whispered, "It's alright, Mawy~"

Dumbfounded, Emily just stared as the Pokemon ran up to grab the food and run further back to a safe distance. Finishing her food, the Pokemon walked up to Sarah, who was still kneeling. "You're welcome… My my, a shiny. A pretty one." Sarah pat the Mawile's giant second mouth. "Grow healthy and strong, little one. Goodbye~" She stood up and returned, walking past Emily towards the exit of the cave.

Emily's eyes widened as she saw the dark color in Sarah's eyes. Sarah's dark eyes met Emily's gaze directly, as if she was looking through her. Emily wasn't sure why, but she felt as though she lost her train of thought. _I was going to ask Sarah something?_

Shaking her head, Emily noticed the Pokemon was following them, her heavy jaw making her fall over occasionally. "Sarah?" Sarah's head turned, and she chuckled. Sarah's eyes were still closed, and she sat at the cave's mouth when she reached the entrance. Emily looked back and forth from Sarah and the Mawile as she ran to the entrance. The Pokemon continued to follow them.

Sarah's eyes stayed shut as she got up to her knees. Jumping into her lap, the Mawile exclaimed in excitement. A tear dropped from one of Sarah's closed eyes as Sarah stroked the Pokemon's head. She whispered, "How could I say no to such a desire?" Emily gasped as the Pokemon snapped her jaws at Sarah, but Sarah's hands quickly caught her jaw in a flash. "Playful too, aren't you?" Placing a Pokeball on the ground, Sarah finally stood, her eyes snapping open. The Mawile jumped with joy, straight into the ball. Picking it up, Sarah smiled. _I know someone who could properly care for you._

Emily couldn't believe what she just saw. _A wild Pokemon just jumped into a ball on its own?_ "Sarah, what just happened?"

Sarah threw out Haku while jumping on its back. "She wanted to come. It'd be wrong if we denied her request, no?"

"How, wha-?"

"Don't worry 'bout it, it's time to go."

In the air, conversation was scarce, mainly due to Haku's massive speed. To talk, both Sarah and Emily would have to yell, and even then they wouldn't consistently hear each other. However, this time Haku flew at a much slower speed. Sarah called out over her shoulder, "Sorry if you thought I ignored you earlier. To answer your question about your _amazing_ studying skills… Well, Evan talks about you a lot."

Emily asked, "What does he talk about specifically?"

"Who knows. Just what shenanigans happened that day, blah blah. Sometimes I kinda ignore it."

"I wouldn't know… He doesn't socialize much at school; he just studies all the time alone."

"I can tell you that sounds pretty accurate in describing Evan."

Emily thought for a moment. "So Evan's just one of those people who studies all the time?"

Sarah took a second to think, then responded, "Sorta. Not at home." Emily was confused, and they rode in silence for some time. Out of nowhere, Sarah turned to look at Emily, inquiring casually, "Hey Em, do you like him?"

Emily almost fell off the Lugia as her face turned bright red. "Wh-where'd you get that idea? That's absurd! What's so great about him?" Covering her cheeks, Emily realized she was blushing.

Sarah frowned and huffed in disappointment. "Man, what a typical response. Lame."

Emily's cheeks puffed. "Why would you even ask me that?"

Sarah shrugged. "Because it's pretty darn obvious to me."

"What's so obvious?"

"That Evan likes you, and yet, you think so little of him."

Emily gasped. _Wha-?_ She had never thought much about their relationship. They were always the best of friends for years. _But, that doesn't mean I like him… What exactly makes Evan stand out to me?_

Her thoughts were cut off when Sarah started laughing heartily. "Oh man, that was too easy… I don't actually know if Evan likes you. But from I can see, you definitely like him." She burst out laughing again.

Emily was vexed, angrily stating, "I Do. Not. Like. Him."

Sarah stopped laughing, her face serious. Emily recoiled in surprise. "Are you sure? You two are so close though."

Emily was unamused. She said frustratingly through her teeth, "I don't like Evan in that way."

Sarah smiled again. "Have it your way." Emily pouted and refused to talk any further until Haku descended, landing outside the Wong house. Adrianna was standing at the entrance. Sarah took a ball off her belt, stealthily passing it to Emily. She whispered, "Don't open the ball. Give it to him on graduation." The two slid off Haku and walked up to the house.

"Wha-" Emily pocketed the ball, but was still lost in thought.

"Apologizes, Adrianna! I know it's a bit late, my bad."

Adrianna scrutinized Emily. "Is she okay? She appears to be dazed."

Sarah prodded Emily, who let out a gasp. "Oh, we're home."

Sarah shrugged and said, "She's a bit tired, I'd recommend her to go to sleep."

Adrianna sighed at her daughter's appearance. She started to brush off the cave debris from Emily's clothes. Sarah quickly rummaged through her bag, realizing Adrianna might feel or notice the ball in Emily's pocket. "Hey, Adrianna, we got something for you."

Adrianna stopped, telling Emily, "Go put your clothes in the wash and get ready to sleep, okay? Emily nodded, and walked into the house. Sarah breathed a mental sigh of relief. "I finally cleaned out the fossil I told you about." Sarah handed it to Adrianna, who studied it carefully. "Isn't it great? Took some time, but I think it was worth it."

Adrianna's face of worry melted away. "This Kabuto specimen is wonderful. Thank you very much, Sarah."

Sarah bowed, stating, "No, thank you for allowing me to care for your daughter."

* * *

Emily finished her shower, drying out her hair. As she was changing her clothes, the sound of conversation caught her attention. Slowly inching towards the voices, Emily eavesdropped the conversation in the dark. The dialogue was barely audible, and Emily was worried if she came any closer, she would be heard. Emily recognized the voices to be a conversation between Sarah and her mom.

"Adve… Sar…"

"Wha… Dang…"

"No dange… Em… fi…"

"Talis… sign…"

"Ev… Conf… Safe."

Emily heard the footsteps and the speech to be less audible. After a moment, a familiar screech could be heard in the distance. As a pair of footsteps got louder and louder, Emily quietly returned to her room, wondering what they were talking about.


	6. Chapter 6

AUTHOR'S NOTE: HAHAHAHA You thought I was dead, didn't you? I was having issues making the romance feel more real, but I'll get to that later I suppose. I also haven't had time, but I'll get to it.

* * *

Evan sat in the corner of the classroom during lunch. He avoided contact with anyone to minimize the chances of someone finding out he had an egg in his possession. _Hmm?_ Evan could hear noise frequently from the egg at this point. For some reason, Emily had been acting a little weird lately. It wasn't too obvious when she hung out with her friends. However, there was a different vibe in the air whenever it was only the two of them.

Whenever Emily and Evan caught eyes, she would immediately turn away. Evan had already asked Sarah about the odd behavior, but she would only smirk and say, "Who knows, who knows…" then walk away.

No matter how many times he asked, she kept giving him the same response. He was utterly baffled, so he just kept to studying alone in class. Graduation was coming up soon anyway. Evan sighed in boredom. He missed the hijinks and fun he had with Emily. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. Pulling out his dated phone, he made a call. "Sarah, I'll be busy. You don't have to pick me up. Can I borrow NaYeon?"

* * *

Emily couldn't get her own words out of her head. _I. Do. Not. Like. Him._ But, was it true? Ever since the conversation she had with Sarah, she couldn't see Evan the same way as before. When she looked at him, she began to notice things she never did before. For example, he had brilliant hazel eyes that shined brighter than a gemstone. One thing that she was uncertain about was what Evan's perspective was on their constant little ventures. She decided to compose herself and pretend nothing happened. _I need time to figure this out._

* * *

Evan stood in front of the mountain. _Ready._ He still felt a hint of nervousness, even though he had entered multiple times prior. _I have to make a few more trips until I'm done._ NaYeon stood next to him, eager with energy. It took him forever to convince Sarah to let him borrow him. Not only was he not Nayeon's trainer, he wasn't old enough to legally own a Pokemon. If he was caught, she would be held liable as well. It definitely wasn't easy; he didn't want Sarah to know what he was planning. Going in the wild alone would be extremely dangerous, but with a friend by his side, he felt comfortable enough to go. _She'd probably find out somehow anyway._

 _You're almost finished…_ Evan's egg was in his backpack, and he had gotten used to the voice. After a decent amount of research, he concluded whatever was in the egg was a Psychic-type. Apparently, the trainer and Pokemon formed an intense bond at birth when the Pokemon egg and the trainer were together often. Obviously, he had never experienced it firsthand, but it seemed like a good thing to try. Grabbing his pickaxe, he entered the cave.

* * *

Emily knew Evan could see through her attempts to stay composed. It started to irritate her. All of it. She couldn't bring herself to think of how to tell him her feelings. There wasn't any chances for her to tell him anyway. Emily would never admit her feelings in front of anyone else, and he would always be around his friends or studying in the public library. Additionally, Evan would always leave immediately after school towards the wild. _Odd._ Once, she thought of following him, but she instinctively ran her hand across her scar. It looked like Evan somehow had a Pokemon on him, but she didn't. _I mean, I have this Mawile but…_ She felt as though she shouldn't use it. Maybe everything would be sorted out on graduation day…

* * *

Sarah and Adrianna sat together on the bleachers amongst other family members of the students. As the two women were making small talk, Sarah pointed out her energetic brother in the crowd, while Adrianna frowned as she saw her daughter sleeping in her chair. Sure, the speeches were boring, but it was still respectful to pay attention. The celebration of the graduation ended there. It was school tradition to allow the family members to give a starter to the graduates. If this was not possible or done, the school provided a randomly chosen Pokemon to those students. After that, the students were free to leave. Emily immediately popped awake, looking around. Evan ran up to Sarah, with Emily approaching from behind.

Adrianna pulled out a ball from her bag in preparation. Somehow, Emily arrived first. "Mom, what is it?" Emily was carefully given a ball by her mother.

"Congratulations, Emily. Take care of this Bagon. He was bred with the strongest consort Elise found amongst any other. I've waited for you to graduate first." Emily realized she still held a Mawile as Sarah gave her a look.

Stepping away from the women and intercepting Evan before he reached Sarah, Emily pulled out the ball Sarah gave her. Grasping his hands, her dark eyes met the hazel eyes she loved so much. Placing the ball into his hands, she stated, "Here…" Blushing, she ran towards her mother, hiding her face. With a soft smile, Adrianna embraced her daughter.

"Uhhh…" Confused, Evan held the ball in his hand as he watched Emily dash away. "What just happened?" Evan walked up to Sarah, peeking over at Emily. Her face was purposefully turned, and she was taking long breaths of air. "Is she okay?"

Sarah just slapped her hand to her face, sighing as she jumped off the bleachers. "Even though you study so much, you still don't understand anything. C'mon, let's see what's inside." Evan shook off his confusion, releasing the Pokemon inside. The Mawile looked at Evan curiously, stumbling towards him. Evan knelt, staring back. Cautiously, he approached the Pokemon, his hands behind his back.

Emily turned, yelling out, "Watch ou-!"

Evan's hands flashed out similar to what she had saw Sarah do before, keeping the Mawile's second jaw closed when the Pokemon whipped out her jaw. "You are one sly Mawile." His hands carefully pulled away, patting the Pokemon on the head. He kept his eyes trained on the Mawile. "Such a beautiful Shiny, you are… Mawy?" He tested the nickname, looking for any response. The Pokemon only blinked, tilting her head. After a moment, she nodded happily.

Emily coughed in a fit of laughter. She choked out, "Mawy? What a joke name!"

Evan turned his head. "Mawy was the name of someone dear to Sarah…" His facial expression froze Emily's blood. "Do not mock it." His hands snapped to shut Mawy's jaw again without even looking at her.

Sarah smiled and started to reminisce something. Adrianna frowned, stating sternly, "Emily, show respect, okay?"

Evan's face shined back into a smile, asking, "Emily, what'd you get?"

"Oh yeah." Emily released her Bagon. The Pokemon stood with pride, looking around.

"A Bagon. From your mother's Salamence?" Evan let go of Mawy's jaw again.

"Yes! I'll name him… I can't think of anything right now…" Emily's head fell in embarrassment. Everyone shared a laugh, except the two Pokemon. Bagon and Mawy saw each other. Mawy scoffed and turned away. Evan noticed the two Pokemon glowering at each other as they were returned to their Pokeballs, and frowned in worry…

* * *

Evan's egg had started to violently shake for some time, so Evan sat waiting as cracks started to cover the eggshell. "Broooo, dinner's getting cold!" Sarah kicked the door open, rushing in. "Oooh…" Both of them watched the egg crumble. A red horn? Green head… White? Evan snapped around when Sarah exclaimed, "Awwwww, what a cutie!"

Evan turned to the baby with a soft smile, calling out, "Come here, Ralts." The Ralts sensed the joyous emotions of the two siblings, and slowly walked up to Evan's outstretched hand. When her head touched his hand for a second, the Ralts quickly leapt into his lap, nuzzling against Evan. "Okay Mawy, let's say hello!" He pulled out the Pokeball, releasing the Mawile in the room. Sarah frowned with worry, watching in case of anything happened. "C'mon Mawy, say hello to your new companion." The Mawile had proven to be a huge troublemaker, like stealing food, but Evan was adamant on keeping her. As Ralts walked up clumsily out of Evan's lap, Mawy giggled. Evan's eyes turned a shade of sky blue as he played with his two Pokemon.

Sarah coughed, and stated, "Evan, your dinner's pretty much frozen at this point…"

"Ah right, coming. Let's go, you two!" Evan stood up and scooped up the Ralts in his arms. Mawy followed behind him, ready to eat. Evan's eyes returned to a hazel.

As everyone was eating, Evan interrupted his sister, asking, "We're Talistars, aren't we?"

Sarah almost choked on her food, but calmly asked, "Of course not, why do you ask?"

Internally, she was frightened to death. She eventually had to tell him anyway though. Evan pulled out an old notebook. It was worn out, and full of bent pages. "We're part of some special family, it says here… 'A branch of the Talisters'."

"Our parents' notes. Alright, I'll cut the crap. First off, forget everything you were taught about Talisters, because it's all bullshit." Sarah continued to explain everything to her brother as the Pokemon interacted with each other. NaYeon gracefully jumped over Mawy as Ralts slid down Haku's wing.


	7. Chapter 7

AUTHOR'S NOTE: In case anyone read Chapter 7 before, I deleted it. I was dissatisfied with it, so yeah. I'm not sure if I can be consistent or guarantee the next chapter, but thanks to anyone who followed it until now. Also, thanks to any new readers!

* * *

"I had no idea where this went." Sarah flipped through the notes, recognizing ancient symbols written hastily on the paper. "Where…?"

"It wasn't easy to find. I found a compartment in the back wall of our parents' room." Evan turned to Haku, his eyes turning a shade of soft blue. He felt a feeling of warmth being emitted from the dragon. The color in his eyes shined brighter and brighter until a drop of sweat rolled down his face. Evan felt his energy disappear as he kept his focus on the emotion until it was too much. His head fell with a start as his eyes returned to normal; he felt his empty lungs cry for air. He took in a deep breath, causing Sarah to look up from the notebook.

"Hey, hey. Don't exert yourself too hard." Sarah laid a hand on his shoulder as she studied the book's contents, flipping through the pages. "Take it easy."

Evan peeked at the symbols, asking, "What does this mean? It's not any language I know of."

A picture of a color wheel on the last page caught Sarah's eye. Sarah explained, "Your eyes will change color depending on what emotion you try to convey on the Pokemon." Turning the page over, Sarah continued, "The only…" Sarah stared at the symbols, trying to decipher them. "Branches… Talisters, Yin and Yang. So, there are others. Sorry, I don't understand some of this. After all, it is a dead language. I'm going to hold onto this, okay?"

Ralts pulled on Evan's arm, so he picked her up into his lap. Evan asked, "What language is it? I've never seen it before."

As Sarah packed the notebook in her bag, she replied, "It doesn't have a name. When I went on adventures, I picked up some of the meanings of some of these symbols. I'll probably teach you what I know but right now, I've got to buy more food real quick. You should probably get some rest."

Evan hesitated. Sarah asked, "You okay?"

Evan nodded. Haku was returned to the ball in Sarah's hand as she walked out the front door, closing it behind her. He waited a bit before pulling out his phone. "Hey, it's me. You are? Can you leave right now? Cool, I'll meet you there." He closed the phone, and started to pack his supplies. NaYeon leapt in excitement, ready to go. "Let's go." Evan put on his backpack and ran out of the house in the night.

Sarah stopped on the path towards the store. Turning around, she took out the notebook, cracking it open. Sarah whispered, "The Shino family…" She ran a hand through her hair as she continued walking, flipping through the pages.

* * *

Emily sat on a rock nearby the cave. Setting her flashlight down, she started to nod off in the moonlight. This was typically the time she went to sleep, so her drowsiness wasn't surprising. Turning her head downwards, she waited.

* * *

Evan dragged his legs through the field. He cursed to himself as his pants became more and more soiled as he got closer and closer to the cave's mouth. Emily was still waiting, looking down from the rock. When he saw her, he waved as a greeting, but she didn't move. As Evan reached the entrance, he realized Emily had fallen asleep. An idea hatched in his head, and his face put on a silly grin.

"Boo!" Emily woke up to see Evan's face in hers. Not only that, his face was completely drenched in what appeared to be blood.

Evan burst into a fit of giggles as Emily let out a cry of horror. Emily caught on quick, and she socked him in the arm. "Jerk." She tried to put on a serious face, but the two ended up laughing together for a moment.

"Ooh, right. I was going to show you this." Evan handed Emily her light as he readied his own. "You ready?" His hand was outstretched to her. Emily rolled her eyes, knocking his hand aside as she stood up. "I thought so!" Evan started to walk into the cave, leaving Emily behind. His voice echoed through the cave. "Em, come on, you Slowbro!"

Emily sighed. _Evan seems to get excited about these things too easily_. "Yes yes, coming!" She dashed into the cave, trying to catch up to her friend.

* * *

Emily noticed a flickering light down one in the caverns. Evan was standing by a lit up corridor, holding a dramatic pose.

"Wait, wait, this needs a more dramatic reveal!" Holding up his hands, he cleared his throat. "Welcome, to the new hideout! Ta dah!"

"A bit extra there Ev," Emily stated, holding up her hand in disapproval. Evan feigned a sob for a moment. "Shut up." She lightly jabbed his side, but she realized something. "Wait, how is this a private hideout? It's pretty open and obvious."  
"Ah." Evan rubbed his side; she had poked him pretty hard. "Did you not notice the fact that this cave is closed to the public?"  
"Yeah. I guess that would be an important thing to know."

Emily walked into the hideout, looking around. In front of her was a couch and a spot for a fireplace. A tent that wasn't put up was in a pile on the side. To her right was a lake. It sparkled as it reflected the moonlight that fell through a hole in the ceiling.

"I don't know what to say." Emily was astonished. "Did you do all this yourself?"

Evan scratched his head with a sheepish grin. "Sorta. Maybe. Yes."

"Why?"

"I wanted to."

Emily felt a rush of warmth hit her cheeks, and she quickly covered her face.

"Something wrong?" Evan took a step closer, with a look of concern.

"No, no. I'm fine." She raised a hand while keeping her face covered with her other arm.

"Alright. Let me know if something happens."

"Ev…" She stared at him. "Why did you really make this place?" He didn't answer, so she pressed the question further. "Hmmmmm?"

Evan turned away, stammering, "I… just felt like it."

An awkward silence filled the air for a moment. Suddenly, Emily snatched Evan's hand, dragging him along the bank of the lake. "C'mon, let's check out the lake!" As they ran, she noticed the water was moving next to them. _Not moving, squirming? It was alive somehow…_

Evan felt his face ram into Emily's back, and he quickly recovered as he asked, "Em, are you okay?" She didn't answer, and he was about to ask again, when he felt a presence nearby. A shadow loomed over the two, so he slowly turned. Emily was staring up, a look of awe written across her face. Evan looked up as well.

The first thing he saw were the eyes. _Cranky… and red._ A brown, thin body. Silver blades. The Kabutops slowly rose from the surface of the water, poised to strike. Emily was frozen; she was staring at the knife-like claws. Evan couldn't think of what to do. _We can do this._ He heard a whisper as he mentally reached towards the Pokemon. The Kabutops froze, but then obediently withdrew into the water. He felt as though he wasn't communicating; rather, controlling it.

He was interrupted from his thoughts as he realized he had zoned out. Emily stopped shaking his shoulder when they caught eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah… Yeah…" Evan had mixed feelings about what had just transpired. On one hand, this newfound ability could be useful in certain situations. On the other, it was an ability easily exploited. Emily turned away as they both sat at the side of the lake.

"Actually there's another reason I came to meet you here. There's something else I gotta tell you…" She was still avoiding his gaze. Evan almost didn't want to ask, but he felt as if she was waiting for the obligatory question.  
"What's up?" Emily had finally turned back with a smile, but Evan could see the real feeling of sadness behind it.

"Ah… Never mind…" She blushed, but covered her cheeks in an instant. Evan kept his composure despite the fact that he was blushing himself.

"I can't force you to tell me, don't worry about it." Evan was dying to know, but he knew that she wasn't ready to tell him.

Emily softly pulled away, then stood up. "Thanks Ev. Actually…" She cut herself off, biting at her thumb.

Evan wasn't sure how to respond, but then he felt something tug at his shirt. "Huh?" His Mawile had somehow escaped from his pokeball, and was now begging for attention. Evan immediately noticed something, and he reached out to pick something up from the rocky floor.

"What is it?" Emily peeked over his shoulder, trying to catch sight of what he grabbed.

Evan felt her weight on his back, and his face flushed with embarrassment. _Well, at least she isn't heavy…_ He didn't mind her leaning on him, but he reckoned this wasn't something that needed to be mentioned. A thought popped into his head, so he asked, "Do you happen to have your Bagon right now?"

Emily seemed startled, but she took out her Pokemon. "Yeah, but what did you need Shelgon for?"  
"Oh! Congrats!" Evan looked at the proud Pokemon for a second, but turned back when his Mawile started squirming to slip from his grip on his jaw. "Yeesh, hold still!"

Emily unconsciously let out a small laugh, and she almost covered her smile with her hands. "Uh, thank you, but… What did you need Shelgon for?"

"My bad. I need some fire." He waved over the Pokemon and he waltzed over. "Shelgon, I need some fire over here." Evan raised up Mawy's jaw. Shelgon was baffled, but realized this was a free shot to "attack" him. "Oh-to!" Evan tried to pull Mawile out of the way of the concentrated fire blast, but he wasn't fast enough.

Mawy let out a loud screech, then leapt straight into the lake. Evan and Emily winced as they heard a fizz and saw smoke rising from the water. Emily turned around and saw Shelgon was laughing. Letting out a sigh, she started to walk over and scold her Pokemon, but a noise stopped her in her tracks. Mawy burst out of the water, her second mouth already swinging out.

"What the hell…" Evan watched as Shelgon flew backwards and smashed into the wall, then rolled down to the floor. It looked as if the two were about to charge at each other again, but they stopped.

"Evan, what did you do?" Emily ran to her Pokemon's side, unsure what to do.

"I didn't do anyth…" Evan stopped as he heard a rustling sound behind him. Turning around, he looked into the darkness. His eyes scanned the shadows, but he couldn't see anything.

Evan's head whipped back to see Emily pulling at Shelgon, but it looked like he was stuck. "Could you help me here?" Quickly scooting over, he tried to pick the Shelgon up, but he wouldn't budge. Evan could feel some sort of confusion and panic coming from the Pokemon. "Something's wrong here!"

Evan laid his hand on her shoulder, and he said, "Calm down, we have to stay calm." He felt his heart pounding in his head as he realized what he had just done.

"You say that, but you're shaking so much…" Emily replied softly. Evan looked at his arm, and he jumped slightly as he noticed that his arm was in fact, trembling as it rested on her shoulder. He watched as she gently took his hand in hers. She continued, "I'm okay now. Thanks."  
She let go, and he sighed. _I'm not okay though._ Suddenly, they remembered what was happening right now. The rustling became louder and louder with each passing second. Emily felt a drop of sweat rolling down the side of her face as she saw a pair of red eyes approach. Her eyes flicked to Evan, expecting panic, but it looked like he had fallen asleep. "Evan!" She whispered, trying to warn him of the impending danger. He didn't move, and Emily broke into a full on sweat. Urgently, she hissed, "Get up!" She slowly shook his shoulder, but his eyes stayed shut.

Emily let out a squeal as Evan suddenly gestured for the mystery creature to come closer. "Come here," he softly whispered as the shadowy creature approached.

"What are you doing?!" Emily yelled in disbelief as she quickly crawled away. She could feel more and more sweat rolling down her face, but Evan was still cool as a cucumber.

"You aren't in trouble, c'mere." Emily watched in astonishment as the eyes slowly faded. "Raaaaaaalts…" Evan's hands were outstretched, and she could hear the pitter-patter of a something small running towards them. Crying, a Ralts ran into his arms, and he embraced her. As she nuzzled him, Evan pat her head. He then turned back and stated, "She escaped her Pokeball again."

Emily's head whipped around as she heard the painful cries of the other two Pokemon. Still dizzy, Shelgon stumbled to his trainer and fell over. Mawy just seemed to have given up; he was still sprawled all over the rocky floor.

"Even though I should be mad, you did a good job." Evan laughed as the Ralts happily nuzzled her trainer's neck. Suddenly, she started to shine brighter, and brighter. The group looked on with excitement and awe as the Pokemon evolved.

"I've seen this happen numerous times but… this never gets old…" she whispered.

"I don't know if 'never gets old' is the right phrase to use." Evan responded, but didn't break his gaze from his newly evolved Pokemon. "Even when you grow older, you're still the same, huh?"

His attention was still on his Kirlia, when Emily blurted out, "I'm leaving."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Whelp, I rewrote chapter 8 for anyone who read the original one. Next chapter comes whenever... I'd love any feedback on this.

* * *

"What?!" I shot up in my bed. _Why am I still thinking about that night?_ I wiped my forehead when I realized it was drenched with sweat. Calming my breath, I looked down at the photo album resting on my lap. My eyes landed on a certain picture on the open page of the album. _This is probably the moment where…_ Closing my eyes, I plopped back onto my pillow, sighing. I didn't want to remember. _It's been ten months since then. Fuck! Why am I still haunted by this?_

I didn't know why, but I kept having that dream. It was the same thing every time. Emily would explain that she was leaving. Not the hideout. The country. Not later. The next day. I was upset that she didn't tell me. Somehow, it ended badly… _This is when I… started to hate her…_

 _Forget it. I can't sleep._ I got out of bed, turning on my desk lamp. I had a sense of deja vu as I picked up Mawile's Pokeball. _This time, I don't want to remember those times._ I yawned as I lumbered to the bathroom.

I flicked the light switch, and recoiled at my ravaged appearance. My hair was disheveled and I had bags under my eyes. On top of that, my eyes were fucked up again. _It's another color again._ My eyes were a strange crimson, silently screaming in anger. This didn't surprise me, because it had been happening for months now. I felt like there was no point in staying up again, so I went back to bed, throwing the photo album aside. _I'll deal with this later._

* * *

"Evaaaaaaaan!" Sarah's voice echoed throughout the house. "I'm going to come up there myself, and we both don't want that!"

I yelled back, "Give me a minute!" I felt really sick, but NaYeon was sitting in the doorway, waiting for me. NaYeon sat down in the doorway, so I got up to get ready.

"Evan!"

"I'm coming down!" I saw the Glaceon hop down the stairs as I walked out of my room. My legs felt like jello, but I somehow managed to safely reach the first floor. The smell of food enticed me to maneuver to the kitchen. _Ah!_ I felt a sudden blunt pain as my head throbbed; my lack of rest catching up to me. _This'll be very distracting today…_

Sarah noticed my grimace, and asked, "Are you alright? You haven't had much sleep lately."

Keeping a hand to my head, I mumbled, "Yeah… I'm fine…"

Obviously, Sarah wasn't buying it. "Go lie down on the couch." I tried to trudge over to the sofa, but I felt my legs give way again. Sarah strode over in an instant to catch and help me navigate to the couch. I felt myself being slowly placed onto the cushions. "I'll be right back, I have to check on the Pokemon eating outside."

I was still a bit light-headed, but I was able to reach over to the table and grab the TV remote. I flicked the TV on to a broadcast of a battle. It seemed to be finishing up.

*Oh! That's gotta hurt! Salamence continues his Outrage as Tyranitar hits the dirt!*

*Is it over?! No! Dragonite dropped from the sky to attack Salamence!*

*I'm telling you Dan, these new trainers are unstoppable. Looking at the track record, they haven't lost a single match up to this point.*

*I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet, Dragonite has been known to clutch out many battles for Wings of Glory.*

*Right, right. It looks like Dragonite's going for a hail mary, countering with his own Outrage!*

*But no! Ninetails crushes Dragonite with an Ice Beam! Tyranitar, what are you doing?!*

*Tyranitar finally uses his own Ice Beam, but it's too late! Salamence goes down but it's Ninetails with the trade!*

*And it's all over! Ghosts in Plain Sight, take the win.*

*It was a very close battle, I'll be honest, it could've been either team's win there.*

*Yeah, I agree. Wings of Glory had an early advantage with Dragonite's Outrage pressuring Ghosts in Plain Sight. Luckily, Salamence was able to take the impact and cover for his teammate.*

*It was impressive coordination on the side of Ghosts in Plain Sight on that play. The fact that Ninetails was able to live to use his Ice Beam was one of the reasons they won.*

*Also, if Tyranitar had recovered quicker at the end, the battle would've swung in favor of Wings of Glory. And with this, Wings of Glory goes to Relegation and Ghosts in Plain Sight go to Promotion.*

*We're going to take a quick break, and then reach out to Ghosts in Plain Sight for an interview.*

I sighed as advertisements started to fill up the screen. "Evan, can you come to the table, or do you need me to help you?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I got up; the rest I just had seemed to have helped. I manage to collapse in my chair, and Sarah laid a plate of food in front of me. "Thanks."

Sarah sat at the table as well, and we began to eat in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of utensils. Finally, she spoke up. "Evan, have you been sneaking out at night?" I decided not to answer. _But to be fair, I still have food in my mouth._ Sarah continued. "Remember what I told you last month? You should move, and live your life. You've been holed up here for ten months!"

I just finished swallowing my food, and I replied, "I'm not ready."

Sarah set her fork down in exasperation. "Well, let me ask you this instead. When will you be ready?"

It was a good question. She was right that, honestly, I was wasting away at home.

"I'm sure you know what you want to do. We have enough money, y'know?"

"Yeah, I know, I'll…" I felt something trickling down my nose. I quickly touched it and looked at my hand. _Blood._ "Agh…"

Sarah's tone softened for some reason. "Evan, you've been…" She looked directly at me. She already knew what I had been up to, and this was her way of expressing her disapproval. As of late, her eyes had taken on a smokey or cloudy appearance. It seemed like she was going to say something more, but some Pokemon crying in our backyard caught her attention. "Give me a second." She quickly ate the last bits on her plate, then quickly strode out the door.

I stretched my arms. I guess a good meal helped me feel better. The television had gotten back to its regular programming, so I placed my dish in the sink and sat back on the couch.

*We are live with Ghosts in Plain Sight here. How do you two feel about the victory today?*

 _Something was very familiar about one of the two people now being shown on the television…_

*It feels great to see that we've been able to stay in this tournament for so long.* The girl was talking, with a guy standing adjacent to her.

*But, we wouldn't have been able to do it without each other!*

*After all, we're Pink and Blue!*

They briefly held hands, and I felt my fist clench in anger as their clasped arms raised in triumph.

Something within me stirred, and I felt a wave of determination wash over me. I looked back at the television as I pushed myself off the couch. Stretching, I felt a tug at my leg, so I glanced down. _Kirlia…_ She had barely grown in the past few months because I had been in a depression the whole time. However, she felt my rejuvenated spirit now.

 _I'm ready._ I crouched to caress her head. _We all are. We've been waiting for you._ She closed her eyes as my hand ran across her head. _Welcome back, Evan._

I stood up again, and replied, "Thanks." I gave her a huge grin, the first smile I had made in the past ten months. I felt my warmth being reflected by the Psychic-type.

The television caught my attention once more.

*Any final words before we end the interview?*

*Yeah, we'd like to thank any fans watching. Please continue to suppor…*

I set the remote down, letting out a sigh. _Done with that._

"Evan, could you help me out here?" Sarah was still outside, tending to the Pokemon.

I scooped up my Kirlia, and ran out to the backyard, yelling, "Yeah! Coming!" On my way, I saw a full bag of food left on the kitchen counter, and Kirlia popped out of arms. Snatching the bag, I rushed outside. Sarah was with her Lugia, resting on its side.

Seeing me approach, she stood up as she brushed dust off her legs. "You've got something on your mind?"

I handed her the bag as I responded, "Yeah. About what you've been saying…"

She gave me a reassuring smile. "I know what you're going to say." She tore the bag open, and some food leaked on the floor. "I should be happy, but it's kind of sad…" Her face cracked as her face turned away. I gave her a hug, and I thought I saw her hold in her tears. "It's always been just us, huh?" Her voice was breaking as she held in her emotions. There was a moment of silence; we both knew the answer to that. "Go, get ready." She gently threw my arms off, and continued to feed the rest of the Pokemon in the yard. I just stood there for a second. I started to have second thoughts, but again, we both knew I had to move forward.

* * *

"That was good, wasn't it?" Alex looked back at Emily, his face a bit close.

"Yeah, sure. Let go of me." Emily pulled back her arm at lightning speed. Brushing off her clothes, she headed for the door.

"Where you going?"

"None of your business." Emily stormed out, but let out a huge sigh as she shut the door behind her. She had been acting very cold for the past few weeks, and it was pretty obvious to her partner. _I gotta go talk to Kira._ Emily rummaged through her pockets, searching for her phone. As she strode out the hotel, she collided with someone. "Hey! Watch…"

"Where you're going? Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Kira was picking herself up as well.

"Sorry, sorry. You busy right now?" Emily checked her belt for any missing equipment. Finding none, she finally stood up.

"No, I've got time. What's up?" Kira brushed herself off as she adjusted her hair.

Emily sighed, "Yea-no… I'm feeling a bit sick is all."

Kira smirked as she asked, "That time of the month again?" A fist sunk into her side as a response. "Kidding! So what's up?"

Emily pulled her fist back as she said, "I think… I just need some fresh air."

"Hey, I'm here for ya. Let's just walk around." The two trainers walked through a plaza as they exchanged light banter, and they stopped at an intersection. One corner was some sort of convention center, and another was some old coliseum-type building.

Emily asked, "Hey, what's going on over there?" There was a large crowd of people at the convention center.

Kira glanced up from her phone, and Emily saw her eyes light up as she saw the crowd. "Oh! It's Poke-con! I forgot that it was being held here this year." Seeing Emily's confused expression, she explained, "It's a big convention all about Pokemon. There are a lot of booths there, such as independent artwork, cosmetic shops, and cosplaying."

"Cosplaying?" Emily was still confused and overwhelmed.

"Oh, people dress as Pokemon, to put it simply."

Emily blinked. "Why?"

Kira frowned and responded, "You ask me as if you expect me to know."

"Sorry."

"Can we head over?"

Emily shrugged. "No reason not to."

On the way across the street, Kira suddenly asked, "What's the deal with the 'Pink and Blue' thing?"

"Ah. It was Alex's idea. He got the idea to pretend to be some couple. Something about it being in a book and getting sponsors?"

Kira burst out laughing, and somehow said, "That's so corny, holy shit!" She cleared her throat as she stopped laughing. "You sure he's not into you? Why didn't you say no?"

Emily adjusted her hair. "Uh, because he's the main guy, not me. The manager hardly listens to me. The only reason is because I'm new though."

Kira nodded, but asked again, "You think he likes you?"

Emily coughed as they sat down at a table outside the convention center. "I wouldn't be surprised, but that's just my opinion. I really hope I'm wrong."

Kira stated, "I don't mean to offend but, you still not over that guy from your home country? I mean, it's been 2 years! Can't remember his name though…"

Emily twitched, and answered, "Eh… maybe. By the way, his name's Evan."

Kira snapped her fingers, sighing, "Thanks. That was bugging me." She saw a food truck nearby, and got up. Kira turned around, asking, "You want something?"

"Ah… a drink maybe."

"'Kay." She sauntered off, leaving Emily alone with her thoughts.

Emily sighed as she tried not to remember what had happened. _What happened to him though?_ "Aaah!" She curled her fist in irritation as she dropped her head on the table.

"Woah, are you okay?" Kira had come back to the table, two drinks in hand.

"I'm good, thanks." Emily clasped the drink, but didn't drink it. _I really wish she didn't see that._

Kira took a sip from her drink, and she asked, "Okay, what do you think of those cosplayers?" She pointed at a certain group who were taking photos.

Emily looked up. "Those people?" Kira nodded in response. "Um… That guy looks pretty real. That girl, I don't know which that one is, it's pretty obvious it's just a costume. The other girl, the Pikachu, it's pretty good."

Kira asked, "Really? I thought the Pikachu was pretty bad. Just my opinion though." She stretched her arms, but it seemed something else caught her eyes. She shot out of her chair, hastily asking, "Hey, hey, can we go over there real quick?"

Unsure of what she was talking about, Emily slowly nodded. Kira clasped her arm and dragged her towards the crowd. "Where are we going?" Not hearing an answer, Emily looked around. There were many people posing and taking pictures. She looked up in confusion as she realized that Kira had already let go of her arm. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and saw her near two people. Fearing the worst, she ran up to them.

"Hey, could I take a picture with you?" Emily heard Kira ask the two. One was a man in working clothes; he was definitely not a cosplayer. The other, however, was dressed as a Gardevoir. _It's really good, I guess this is why Kira got so excited?_

"Excuse me, ma'am, we…" The man started, but was cut off by the cosplayer.

"It's alright. I'm sorry, what did you want from us again?" The voice was soft and well composed. Emily could feel herself somehow getting calmer from hearing it.

Kira seemed to have also calmed down as she asked again, "Can I take a picture with you?"

Emily pulled her aside, angrily whispering, "What's wrong with you?"

Kira whispered back, "But… a Gardevoir!"

The person caught the two trainers' attention by responding, "That is fine by me."

Kira jumped with excitement as she tossed Emily her phone. "Hey, take a picture please?" Emily internally sighed as she raised the phone.

"Okay, 3… 2… 1…" *click*

Emily took a picture, and was about to walk up to hand the phone back but Kira apparently wasn't satisfied. "Could you do a pose?" The person smiled gently and nodded.

Emily already felt drained by photo number 10. _Was it 10? Or 11?_ She couldn't remember. As she took another photo of another pose, she looked more closely at the costume. _That looks real. Realllllllllly real…_ Then she realized something.

"Thanks! Hey Emily, can you give me my phone back?" Kira walked back up to her friend. Emily handed it back, and Kira said, "Let's go!" Emily didn't respond as she absentmindedly walked towards the two people.

The two people were about to continue their conversation when Emily spoke up. "Sorry, may I ask one last thing?"

She could see the man was starting to get frustrated, but the woman put her arm up, softly answering, "Yes?"

Kira walked up in wonder as Emily asked, "Are you… a real Gardevoir?"

Kira tapped Emily's shoulder as she said, "Hey Emily, it's just a costume…" She stopped as the woman started to giggle.

The woman clapped her hands together. She asked, "Interesting. Why would you come to that conclusion?"

Emily responded firmly, "I don't have a specific reason, but I'm certain of it."

There was a silent moment in the air. No one knew what to say. The woman closed her eyes for a moment. She broke the awkward quiet by responding, "Yes, you are correct."

Kira coughed. "What the hell? I'm so sorry!" She started to bow but the Gardevoir shook her head.

"There is no need to apologize. I don't mind. In fact, I've been asked for photos a few times today."

Under his breath, the worker muttered sarcastically, "A few times."

The Gardevoir sighed, retorting, "But, that family was so happy." The worker just muttered something unintelligible in response.

Emily peered at the Pokemon. "Where's your trainer?"

The Gardevoir stared back. "My trainer is not here. They want to remain anonymous right now. I'm sorry ladies, but I must return to business. Mr. Jefferson is a busy man." She gestured towards the man next to her. The man was tapping his foot impatiently. Emily thought he looked like he was one step below exploding in anger. _He's not the most patient person…_

Emily bowed lightly. "We understand. Thank you for your time, and sorry for the rude question."

Another quiet moment passed before the Gardevoir stated, "It is fine. Please enjoy the convention." She continued her conversation with the man, who Emily presumed to be Mr. Jefferson.

Kira tapped her friend's shoulder, saying, "Emily, let's go, our drinks are waiting for us!"

Emily laughed and said, "Yes, they are getting impatient!"

The two trainers headed back towards their table. "Crap."

As Emily looked at the table, she said, "Yep." The two drinks had already started to melt. "Oh well."

* * *

Emily stood in front of her house after a few years of tournament battles. She was finally on break, so she decided to return back home. Internally she regretted not visiting her mom for such a long time. _I hope she's not too disappointed._ Emily knocked on the front door. She stood for a moment, but there was no response. She started to get worried, so she knocked a bit louder. There was still no response. _Uhhhh…_ Emily was about to panic when she figured her mom was probably with her old childhood friend's sister.

Emily stood in front of Sarah's house. _Is it okay?_ One half of her wanted to see her friend again after so long. The other half was terrified. She didn't know how she would react to seeing him again. Also, how he would react to her. She knocked on the door, waiting for a response. Emily felt a nervous tick, so she tapped her foot as she stood at the front door. For now, it seemed to alleviate her tick. As she waited, she listened for any sound coming from inside, but the house was silent. She wasn't sure why, but she tried to open the door, which opened immediately.

The house appeared immaculate; Emily was taken aback by the level of upkeep. _If it's this clean, where is she?_ Upon further inspection, she noticed markers indicating the location of various pieces of evidence strewn across the floor and furniture. _Did something happen?_ She studied the marked evidence, but couldn't piece them together. _There's a pile of broken plastic or something strewn across the floor._ Getting on her knees, she stared down at each fragment. _What is this?_ It seemed that whatever it was was broken by being smashed on the nearby wall.

Emily was going to keep scrutinizing the clues, but the muffled sounds of footsteps started to reach her ears. Unsure of what to do, she dove into a nearby wardrobe closet. Each footstep worsened her worry of being discovered. Shorty after, she started to hear voices approach.

"Hey, why is this door open?" Emily could feel her heart in her throat with each heartbeat rattling her brain.

"Oh sir, the door was loose at the time of initial entrance. It is entirely possible that the door was ajar when we left."

"I don't need to explain what would happen to us if it was discovered that this scene was tampered with." There was silence for a moment, and Emily raised her hand to brush the sweat from her forehead, but a sensation froze her in her tracks. _What is that?_ It was a tickling feeling on her arm. Realizing the sensation was moving along her arm, she shifted it towards the light that was leaking through the crack between the wardrobe doors in an attempt to see what it was. _Oh no…_ It was a Spinarak, and it had become fascinated with her arm. Then she realized the voices returned.

"Run through the scene for me again."

"Understood sir. Suspicions had started when the mail wasn't picked up for a few weeks and was overflowing the mailbox. Someone reported it, and an officer was dispatched to check the house."

"Wait, wait, hold it. Are you saying one of our officers trespassed in this house?"

"Well, technically no sir. The door was unlocked, and then he saw the evidence."

"Alright. Continue."

"There were signs of a struggle right here, and here." Emily peeked from the wardrobe, and saw the person pointing at various specific locations on the floor. "A Pokeball was thrown at the wall here, which shattered on the ground."

"Do we have any idea what was in the Pokeball? Or was it empty?"

"We looked into the owner of the house to figure out what was in it."

"And?"

"There were only two inhabitants of this residence. Sarah Lee and Evan Lee. Apparently Evan had already moved out years ago."

"So it was just Sarah in this house?"

"Yes. Her team had dangerously powerful Pokemon. But…"

"What?"

"It's just… there's very little information available on either Sarah or Evan."

"What do you mean?"

"It's all… gone. There's nothing in the database. No criminal records on either person."

"We'll deal with that later. What were her Pokemon?"

"In the data here, it states that her team had immense strength, but any records of the names of the Pokemon were deleted."

"Someone took great efforts into making sure we would have as little info to work with…" The man groaned loudly and proceeded to scratch his head a bit. "We questioned the citizens of the city, right?"

"Yes sir. It seemed that Sarah never used her Pokemon in public. The only info that we could glean was that she owned a great number of Pokemon."

"Maybe, she was kidnapped because someone wanted to steal her Pokemon? After all, her Pokemon are missing as well."  
"This Pokeball was used, so that means whatever was in it is loose."

"It wasn't released, so it'd still be loyal to Sarah, I'm guessing.

"Yes, but the question is: Where is it?"

"Wait, so this Pokeball is confirmed to have been owned by our missing person?"

"No, we have yet to process it in the lab. They said they could probably figure out what Pokemon was captured inside it as well."

"I want that Pokeball analyzed immediately, and I want the results in 2 hours."

"Understood. Alright men, you heard the detective. Let's finish up here."

Emily was trying to listen to the conversation but the Spinarak started to take up her attention as it had managed to reach her shoulder. As the men started to leave, she tried to quietly shake it off. While she was doing this, her hand tapped on the door; this allowed the door to release a faint squeaking noise.

"Wait. Did you guys hear that?" The footstep sounds abruptly stopped as the men started to murmur to each other.

"Maybe the door being ajar wasn't an accident…"

The detective's voice was heard above the rest. "Go to lunch. I'll figure it out myself." As the footsteps grew faint, the man stood in front of the alleged crime scene, waiting. After a moment, he called out, "Whoever it is, if you come out now, I won't press any charges."

Emily had finally managed to silently dispose of the spider Pokemon, and was now free to contemplate her escape. _I wish there was some fantasy land to escape to at the back of this wardrobe, like that one book series… What was the name?_ Her thoughts were broken by the sounds of the man investigating the house. She could hear him cursing and muttering about how he wished he hadn't delayed his arrival at the scene.

All the sounds stopped, and he started to walk without a sound, towards the wardrobe. _Oh no._ She could see his body approaching closer and closer with each passing second. Emily felt a drop of sweat run down across her face, but couldn't wipe it off in fear of making another sound. _Should I just jump out and run?_ The surprise escape was seeming to be more and more of the only viable option, and she braced herself. She saw the man's hands reach for the door.

"Detective!" Emily jumped, hearing her furious heartbeat rattle in her head. The man also recoiled backwards at the sudden voice.

"What is it? What's so urgent that it couldn't wait?"

"Detective, it turns out that Sarah was, at one point, married." Emily gasped, then covered her mouth as a result, hoping she wasn't heard.

Luckily, the detective also shouted, exclaiming, "Why was this never mentioned before?!"

Emily again peeked from the crack, seeing the officer slink away for a moment. "Well, someone went to great lengths to ensure that we wouldn't find it." The detective nodded, allowing the man to continue. "Here's the picture. His real name is unknown, but there's a list of aliases he's used."

The detective muttered some of the names, and then said, "I think I recognize this man."

"Really?"

"I believe he's a member of the clandestine group 'Righteous Retribution'."

"The 'Righteous Retribution'? The crazed society that always claim they're going to 'cleanse the unholy'?"

"Yeah. Personally, I don't think that they've resurfaced, but you never know. Let's continue talking in the office." The men proceeded to leave, closing the front door behind them.

After waiting for a moment, Emily vacated the wardrobe, brushing off her clothes. _Righteous Retribution?_ She had never heard of the organization before, but she figured she should keep the name in memory. _I wonder what happened?_ Emily glanced down at the scene, then snuck out the door.

Emily tried to close the door behind her, but it slipped from her grasp, slamming shut. Wincing, she quickly glanced around to ensure that no one had noticed. Her concern fleeting, she met eyes with the detective and his officer from earlier. The man raised his hand as he yelled, "You! Stop!" Without thinking, Emily ran, heading for the wilderness.

Emily could hear her heartbeat pumping throughout her head as she ran from the police. They hadn't said anything more, but she could still hear them giving pursuit. There was only one destination in her mind; she could only hope she remembered the way.

Emily saw the cave's mouth, but hesitated. She coughed as she dropped her hands to her knees, trying to catch her breath. Her break was short-lived, as the volume of footsteps grew louder and louder. _Left, right, right? Or, right, right, left?_ Her head was a mess of directions as she entered the cave.

By a miracle, she found the entrance to the hideout her friend had made years ago. Quickly slipping inside, she stopped as she heard voices echoed throughout the caverns. "Damn!"

"I'm not giving up that easily. Call for backup."

"Yes, sir."

Emily breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the men retreat. Turning, she remembered she was in a tight tunnel. It was dark, and it seemed to stretch out forever. Each crawl was exhausting for her, and she slowed until she started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Speeding up, she got through the tunnel, but not before laying her palm on a small rock. "Ahh!" After checking her hand, she got up.

"What's a young lady such as yourself doing in such a dirty cave?" A man was perched atop one of the rocks in the cavern, wiping some metal object clean with a rag. He carefully set the object aside, jumping down onto the bank.

Emily pulled back with caution, responding with a question instead. "Who are you?"

"While I hate to disagree with a lady, I must say that I asked first, my dear." After a moment of silence, he continued, "Oh, you're that girl on the news…" He snapped his hands, trying to remember something. "Ah. Emily."

"Well, you figured it out. Impressive." Emily rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Now, who are you?"

"Just call me Bryan." The man then suddenly snapped his fingers. Emily was confused for a moment, but then the feeling of fur dashed across her leg. An Absol appeared at the man's side, purring as Bryan knelt to pat its head. Bryan continued without looking at her, "My dear, I believe our current business has concluded. Oh, just a fair warning, but my Absol here has told me that something really bad is going to happen to you soon. Until next time." Bryan grabbed the odd metal object from the rock and gently set it into a nearby briefcase, proceeding to click it shut before raising another Pokeball. "Teleport." Emily watched as the man vanished before her eyes. A second later, she heard running and voices approach.

"There's a tunnel here!"

"Let's check it out." Emily saw a flashlight's beam start to run across the tunnel-like entrance. Not sure what to do, she hid behind one of the rocks. "It's pretty long though."

Emily knew she had to escape; she hastily fished out her Pokeball, releasing her signature Pokemon. "Bagel, let's get out of here." The Salamence nodded, lowering his back so she could climb on. "Hurry!" The two started to fly out of the cavern. Emily turned back just in time to see the officers start to appear in the cavern. She heard yelling and pointing, but it was too late for them to stop her.

* * *

Emily wasn't sure why she was back, but she felt like she still needed answers to the many questions that rose since she had arrived. This time, she returned to her old childhood home. The front door was locked, but Emily knew of a spare key nearby. _Well, not really a spare key…_ She pulled out one of her hair pins, carefully fiddling with the lock. She felt herself sweating harder and harder with each passing second as the threat of being arrested loomed over her. Emily gasped a sigh of relief as the door let out a click, letting her in.

The house looked slightly messy, but not at the same time. On one hand, the dining hall table was neat and all the chairs were pushed in. However, the bookshelves looked as if they had been gutted, with the books that used to fill them strewn across the desks and floor.

As she bent down to grab one of the books lying open on the ground, Emily tripped on a bump in the carpet. _What?_ After pushing the dining table off the carpet, she breathed loudly in anticipation. "Okay." The carpet was ripped off the ground, revealing a trapdoor. "What the…" Grabbing the ring handle on the door that she tripped on earlier, she pulled, but it wouldn't budge. She pulled out Bagel and instructed him to open the door. In response, the large Pokemon simply stepped on it, crushing it with a loud crunch sound. She winced as the noise tore through her ears, but it worked. There was some weird portal or dimension awaiting the two below them. "Ummmmm…"

Not knowing what to expect, she jumped down into the pulsating darkness below.


End file.
